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zondag 27 december 2015

Silver Birch deadwood update 27.12.2015

Today I gave the big cutting/pruning wounds a bit of attention with my Dremel, for the first time. The big wound needs some more deeper carving and finishing, but I don't want to hurry things. I'll let it weather another year before I finish it. I attended the cutting wounds on the roots as well, but forgot to take pictures. Next time perhaps.



Windswept Larix Decidua update 26.12.2015

Update from 26th dec, 2015.

Larix Decidua, windswept.

Had its 3rd and final restyle in 2014. Updated it yesterday, with a few wires, breaking off the old deadwood top and one major deadwood branch at about the centre of the trunk. I also rewired the dead branches in the top, they were created this year, and still contain enough resin to be able to correct them a bit. Soaking them with water and then torch them a bit could also do the job offcourse. The new dead top will be hollowd into the trunk a bit, as well as the ex-jin midway.

Now this is a little tree with very sparse foliage, in windswept style. I think with 2 or 3 more growing seasons I'll allready have a ramification that matches this rough look of sparse foliage. This styling would be quickly ruined with big masses of green on every branch, I need small alternating lots of branchlets.

I bought this as small raw material, back in +/- 2002. It has undergone quite a metamorphosis.

First 3 pictures from yesterday.






in 2009/2010

In 2006/2007

maandag 21 december 2015

Updating and improving my personal Substrate mix

My new substrate mix ready for 2016.
It is an update of my current substrate that I've been using for 5 years now, and consisted of mainly zeolite granulate, in a mix with coco compost for up to 20 or 30%.

I'm busy writing an article, and will update. To be continued within the next 2 weeks.

Some pictures:



dinsdag 15 december 2015

Buds of common Alder still in the ground

Update december 14th, 2015, of my common (european) Alder (Alnus Glutinosa).

Yeah, Alnus Glutinosa, I just can't get enough, I just can't get enough...
From 2yr old forestry material, pink-thick 80-100cm, back in 2010 I believe.

Totally in the nude now, a good time for yet another picture (I know, I love em too much).
Within the next 2 seasons this one will really evolve into proper raw material. It is the first year that I am confident it will not take another 5 years to get the desired trunk thickness and a good base for future branches to be built on, because I do prune twice a year and this normally slows back the thickening drastically with a lot of other species.

I am also confident that the trunk base and the rootwork will be decent enough, with Alnus Glutinosa this is quite easy to achieve if kept in the ground for a few years. With this tree I know for sure enough good roots are there. Make sure you plant it back at the same depth/height, otherwise it will rapidly produce new roots at the trunk base, that will grow out to strong roots, if the soil is moist enough there. That can be a good thing, or a bad thing if the overgrow allready good rootsystem underneath.



maandag 14 december 2015

common Hazel 'stump' - update 14.12.2015

Update 14 dec 2015 of my common Hazel (corylus avellana).
No cultivar. It was dug out early april 2015 alongside the entrance to a 'chalet' in the Belgian Ardennes we've rented from friends. This was just part of the shrubs that are mowed down every 2 years, so rather a gardendori than a yamadori :-).

All new shoots from this year, look at the longest ones, just amazing fort its first year of recovering in a container. Looks promising, hasnt lost any vigour so far.

This winter I'll further reduce the main front trunk, chop it off above the new shoot that will grow out to be a new mini-trunk and bring leaves/canopy to the lower front of the tree. This is important because this front trunk blocks the view to another trunk in the back which suits the composition better. I am aiming for a broad 'shrub' like canopy.
The red circle in the one picture shows the trunk to be chopped, and the new part of the canopy that will be created by the leftover side-branch/new trunk-to-be.

So, still 2 or 3 years left of growing shoots in this training pot, then serious pruning and wiring can start. That is, if growth vigour stays like it was this year.